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Summary
Summary
Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli and award-winning illustrator Larry Day join forces to celebrate America's birthday, the Fourth of July. A responsible little boy who's eager to do his part wakes up joyful and ready to celebrate his favorite day of all. But there's a lot of work to do--pies to be baked, deviled eggs to be filled--and the boy has lots of jobs to complete before he can enjoy the fun . . . the world's best picnic! Face painting! A band concert! And then, after what seems like the longest wait ever . . . he can kick back and enjoy the fireworks with the rest of the country. This delicious and spirited book celebrates small town America and is full of nostalgia for times gone by, yet absolutely of the moment.
Author Notes
Jerry Spinelli is a Newbery Medal winning author of many children's books. Among his best-known titles are Maniac Magee (Newbery Medal), Stargirl, Milkweed, and Wringer (Newbery Honor). His most recent title The Warden's Daughter was published in 2017 and received a starred review from Kirkus. Jerry lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, poet and author Eileen Spinelli.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--A young boy describes an annual Fourth of July celebration he enjoys with his family and neighbors at a nearby park. After the pajama-clad youngster briefly joins a parade passing his house, he sets about doing the chores he's in charge of, like putting finishing touches on picnic fare and loading the food into a wagon as his dog looks on. Then the family is off, first to the station to greet the flag-festooned train and then to the park. There they enjoy chocolate-covered strawberries, cherry pie, and other goodies along with hot dogs fresh off the grill. The fun-filled day includes face painting, races, interaction with zoo animals, a concert, talent show, and dancing, and culminates in spectacular fireworks over the ball field. Created with pencil, pen, and ink with watercolor and gouache, the large illustrations depict a friendly, multi-ethnic community. Flags abound, not only on the train, but also in people's hands, on houses, and on the grandstand. Three brilliantly colored double spreads show fireworks so wonderful the boy's "heart is cheering" as he "scream[s] with joy." Finally, the red wagon bearing the sleeping child and his dog appears across another spread followed by a scene in which the two are snuggled together in bed. VERDICT Though the steam-powered train at the station evokes a bygone era, this is an excellent read-aloud choice for current Fourth of July revelers and for all holiday collections.--Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA
Publisher's Weekly Review
For Spinelli's unnamed boy narrator, "the best day of all" is the Fourth of July: it begins with marching in the neighborhood parade in his pajamas and ends with being fast asleep in a red wagon after a glorious fireworks display. The hours in between are a happy confluence of summer fun ("Three-legged sack race!"), picnic food (hot dogs with grill stripes, deviled eggs, and cherry crumb pie), national pride ("The whole park is silent and still" awaiting a band's national anthem performance), and community belonging ("For this one best day, the park is my backyard"). Day's slice-of-life watercolors effortlessly shift focus from the boy to big crowd scenes and back again, always capturing the joy that comes from being both footloose and part of something bigger. Ages 4-8. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
An exuberant, old-time-y celebration of the Fourth of July.An energetic young child breathlessly narrates the day, from waking up bursting with excitement to conking out after the fireworks. In between, Spinelli's nostalgic narrative hits all the expected notes. The child helps prepare the picnic (hot dogs and cherry pie, natch) and loads it into the little red wagon. A train festooned with bunting and pulled by a steam engine crosses Main Street. Once at the park, the family picnics and partakes in all the traditional Fourth of July activities, including face painting, sack racing, a concert in the bandstand, a visit to the zoo (this small-town park is extremely well-appointed), and, of course, the fireworks. Spinelli's present-tense text combines a childlike voice ("Mama hands me a banana. I'm so excited I forgot to eat breakfast") with poetic fervor ("My eyes cannot hold the wonders I see. My heart is cheering"). The only nods to patriotism are the abundant flags and mention of standing for "The Star-Spangled Banner." Day's small town is a Norman Rockwell-esque place of white frame houses and unleashed, well-behaved dogs. The narrator and family present white, while the narrator's best friend and some of the other festivalgoers are people of color. Despite somewhat inclusive visuals, this book can't help feeling like it's stuck in amber. For a true celebration of America and its diversity, opt for Stephanie Parsley Ledyard and Jason Chin's Pie Is for Sharing (2018). (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
It's hard to imagine a more joyous, kid-friendly celebration of the fabulous fourth than this. A boy awakens to the sounds of a parade and the smell of cherry pie wafting from the kitchen. It's the Fourth of July, and he is ready to to celebrate in all his favorite ways. One terrific thing leads to another: a picnic at the park, a baseball game and concert (a flag unfurls for the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner), and finally a fireworks show lights up the sky. While the reason for the holiday is not mentioned, the multitude of flags flying give off a patriotic air, and there is a focus on tradition, with the boy recounting what he remembers and loves from years past. This Fourth of July, which has a small-town or suburban feel, is more chock-a-block than most readers will experience in real life, but the exuberant text and the pencil, ink, watercolor, and gouache artwork, full of movement and delight, will encourage kids to find out what's happening in their local celebrations.--Ilene Cooper Copyright 2019 Booklist
